A fun family holiday tradition is a Christmas Eve Box. Here is how to start and create a Christmas Eve Box Tradition for your children (and what it means to me).
The Christmas Eve Box Tradition
For as long as I can remember, my parents give my sister and me a Hallmark ornament every Christmas. I have an entire box filled with ornaments from every year since I was a little girl! Now that I’m a Mom, I am passing on the holiday tradition to my daughters with a Christmas Eve Box.
What is a Christmas Eve Box?
On Christmas Eve, my daughters open a special box containing Christmas pajamas, a Christmas book, and a unique ornament. The children put on their new pajamas, place the ornament on the tree, and read the new book before bed. Our girls look forward to the surprise every Christmas!
How to Make a Christmas Eve Box
Making a Christmas Eve box for your child or a loved one is very easy! The most difficult task is actually deciding which pajamas, book, and ornament you want to put in the box. This will become a family tradition your children will want to pass along to their own families!
A few things about Christmas BOOKS. There is no such thing as having too many books at your house. I know some families who have one for every day of December! If you feel like you’ve already read every Christmas book you own, why not ask a friend to trade books?
The first book Annabelle ever received in her Christmas Eve Box was “The Night Before Christmas.” There are so many different versions of this classic holiday story. Don’t want another Christmas book? There are plenty of winter holiday and New Year’s Eve books in stores. If your children don’t like books any more, why not use a Christmas movie or game?
The most special part of the box are the ornaments. I always love gifting ornaments to my children knowing someday they will hang on their own family trees. My husband and I have ornaments from our Moms representing every Christmas growing up. Do you have a Christmas pickle? This is a great ornament tradition to start as a family!
Note: Hallmark makes new ornaments each year with the date and the ornaments are always different. Here are the Hallmark 2025 ornaments. You can use any ornament in your Christmas Eve box though! If an ornament is not dated, write the year on the bottom of the ornament using a sharpie marker.
Want to make your own ornaments? Here is are DIY Ornament Ideas!
Making Christmas Memorable for Your Children
There are so many ways to make Christmas memorable with children. However, it can get stressful with the pressure to do something different every day throughout the season. The Christmas Eve Box appears only one night of the year and will be a hit every time. But make sure you make things simple and put only the items you find important or meaningful to you in the box. Don’t overdo it!
What to Put in Your Christmas Eve Box
- Pajamas (where to buy matching Christmas pajamas)
- Christmas Ornament
- Christmas Book
- Game/Movie
Christmas Eve Box Variations (For All Ages & Budgets)
Not every family celebrates the same way — and that’s the beauty of this tradition. Here are some fun ways to personalize or adapt your Christmas Eve Box for kids of all ages, budgets, and family styles:
1. For Toddlers & Preschoolers
- Board books or lift-the-flap holiday stories
- Stuffed holiday character (reindeer, snowman, Grinch – check the Dollar Tree or Target Dollar Section)
- Magic Reindeer Food (make your own, look for it in stores, or buy it online)
- Supplies to write a letter to Santa or farewell to the Elves
2. For School-Age Kids
- A holiday chapter book or early reader
- Cozy socks or slippers
- A family puzzle, game, or set of conversation starter cards
- DIY ornament kit
- Reindeer food or a Santa evidence kit
3. For Tweens & Teens
- Fuzzy blanket or wearable throw
- Hot cocoa bomb
- Christmas movie gift card (Prime/Apple/YouTube)
- Christmas face mask or Christmas under eye patches
- Christmas nail polish
- “Open on Christmas Eve” handwritten note with a memory inside
4. Budget-Friendly Box Ideas
- Make your own ornament with clear plastic balls + paint
- Print a holiday coloring sheet from Pinterest
- Dollar-spot Christmas socks
- Homemade hot cocoa mix in a mason jar
- Wrap a favorite book from your home library
- Add a handwritten letter or “voucher” for a family activity
5. Experience-Focused Christmas Eve Box
- Tickets or printable certificates for:
- A Christmas light drive
- Hot cocoa outing
- Christmas Eve movie night
- Baking cookies together
- Matching pajamas (optional!)
- A small ornament representing the family activity
- A new board game to play together before bedtime
6. The “Grown-Up” Christmas Eve Box
- Cozy movie blanket
- Chocolates or gourmet treats
- A holiday cocktail mixer
- A Hallmark movie checklist or cozy romance novel
- A candle + cute matchbook
7. New Year’s Eve Box Option
- Glow sticks or sparklers
- Mini confetti poppers
- Favorite snacks
- Countdown activities
- A small notebook for New Year wishes or goals
No matter which variation you choose, the heart of the Christmas Eve Box is creating a moment of magic before the big day — and making a tradition your family will look forward to year after year.
Do you or your family open a special gift on Christmas Eve? Do you enjoy giving your loved ones a unique ornaments for Christmas every year? I would love to hear about your family traditions!
This just makes me so excited for Christmas!! Love this!
OMG this is the cutest Christmas idea EVER!
LOVE this! Such a cute way to commemorate things for kids and get them excited about the Christmas season! I love putting something similar together for my boys and plan to add a Hallmark ornament this year #client
Great idea! Loved seeing the Pickle box in your Christmas Eve box. That was always a tradition in my family! We become fairly competitive in finding it. Memories are so special for the Holidays. Thanks for the ideas!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve Box sounds like a magical way to kick off the holiday celebrations. I can’t wait to try it with my family this year—especially the cozy pajamas and festive treats! Thanks for sharing such a fun tradition!
I absolutely love the idea of a Christmas Eve box! It’s such a fun way to build excitement for the big day. I can’t wait to start this tradition with my family and add our own little personal touches. Thanks for the inspiration!
I absolutely love the idea of a Christmas Eve box! It’s such a fun way to build excitement leading up to Christmas Day. I can’t wait to try out your suggestions for cozy items and treats. Thanks for sharing this delightful tradition!
I absolutely love the idea of starting a Christmas Eve box tradition! It’s such a fun way to build anticipation for the big day and create lasting memories with the family. I can’t wait to try out some of your suggestions for items to include. Thanks for the inspiration!
I absolutely love the idea of a Christmas Eve box! It adds such a fun and cozy touch to the holiday celebrations. I especially like the idea of including a new book and some snacks—it makes for a perfect evening with the family. Can’t wait to start this tradition!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve box tradition sounds like such a fun way to create lasting memories with the family. I can’t wait to start this in our home and see the kids’ faces light up! Thank you for sharing!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve box tradition sounds like such a fun way to kick off the holiday festivities. I can’t wait to try it with my family this year! Thanks for the creative inspiration!
I love this idea! The Christmas Eve Box sounds like such a fun way to kick off the holiday celebrations. I can’t wait to try it with my family this year! Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve box is such a fun way to kick off the festivities and create lasting family memories. I can’t wait to try it out this year—especially the cozy socks and Christmas movie theme! Thank you for the inspiration!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve box sounds like such a fun and magical tradition to start with my family. I can’t wait to fill it with cozy pajamas, hot cocoa, and some festive treats. Thanks for sharing this wonderful concept!
I absolutely love this idea for a Christmas Eve box tradition! It adds such a magical touch to the holiday season. I can’t wait to start this with my family and create some wonderful memories together. Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve box sounds like such a fun way to kick off the holiday celebrations. Can’t wait to try it with my family this year! Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely love this idea! Creating a Christmas Eve box adds such a special touch to the holiday season. It’s a great way to build excitement and make memories with the family. Can’t wait to start this tradition!
What a fantastic idea for a Christmas Eve tradition! I love the thought of creating special memories with the family. This will definitely be a new tradition in our home. Thank you for sharing such creative ideas!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve Box sounds like such a fun tradition to start with my family. I can’t wait to fill it with cozy pajamas, a holiday movie, and some hot cocoa. Thank you for sharing these wonderful suggestions!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve box sounds like such a fun tradition to start with my family. I can’t wait to fill it with cozy pajamas, hot cocoa, and some fun activities. Thanks for sharing these wonderful suggestions!
What a lovely idea! I absolutely adore the concept of a Christmas Eve box. It’s such a delightful way to kick off the holiday festivities and make some lasting memories. I can’t wait to start this tradition with my family! Thank you for the inspiration!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve box tradition sounds like such a fun way to kick off the holiday celebrations. I can’t wait to try it with my family this year! Thanks for sharing these creative suggestions!
I absolutely love the idea of a Christmas Eve box! It’s such a fun way to create special memories with the family. I can’t wait to start this tradition and see the kids’ faces light up when they open it! Thanks for sharing these creative ideas!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve box tradition sounds like such a fun way to kick off the holiday festivities. I can’t wait to incorporate it into our family celebrations this year. Thanks for sharing these adorable ideas!
I absolutely love this idea! The Christmas Eve box adds such a special touch to the holiday season. Can’t wait to start this tradition with my family! Thanks for sharing!
Loved this idea! The Christmas Eve Box sounds like such a fun tradition to start with the family. I can’t wait to fill ours with goodies and cozy activities. Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely love the idea of a Christmas Eve box! It’s such a fun and cozy tradition that the whole family can enjoy. I can’t wait to start this in my home and create those special memories. Thanks for sharing this wonderful concept!